First days, then months, then years
by OverdoseFantasy
Summary: A bunch of Soma x Agni short stories that take place before any of the Kuroshitsuji happenings. Starting at Agni's first morning in the palace.
1. The first morning

It wasn't really commendable, but Soma didn't remember a lot about the day he first met Agni. He didn't remember the date or what he had for breakfast that morning. He would not even remember what he had worn, was it not for the fact that Agni did and that he had leant his butler a white scarf to cover his scarred back.

What he did recall was the stifling heat that had hit Bengal in August.

Also, he didn't really know anymore, what he had said to the white-haired man, after he had freed him from his ties. Something about being reborn and leaving behind his old life…

But, what Soma did remember, were the times that followed. Especially the first morning, the morning after, how he liked to call it. It was a rather awkward story, really. But Soma loved to remember it.

 _The door creaked. Loudly. So loudly that it jerked Soma, who usually was a very sound sleeper, from his dreams. Agni noticed. He stood on the threshold and looked rather embarrassed. He was carrying a tray, filled with chai and all sorts of sweets, which the prince enjoyed for breakfast. He probably didn't prepare any of the food. At least, Soma_ _ **hoped**_ _, he hadn't prepared any of it._

 _The prince didn't want to imagine how badly a man of the upper class must cook. How awful the end product must taste._

 _"_ _You're being noisy, Agni," he said. He reached behind himself, to put up the pillows behind his back, when suddenly he heard the clinking of china next to him._

 _Agni had rushed to his side and had hastily put down the tray, in order to plump up Soma's pillows for him._

 _"_ _I'm sorry," the new servant muttered under his breath, so quietly that the prince could barely make out the words._

 _"_ _It's…all right. I suppose." Soma did not really know how to react to the servant's embarrassment. Not that people never acted embarrassed around him (they did a lot and to be honest, Soma enjoyed the flushed glances girls shot him on the streets), but never had servants acted that unconfident around him._

 _True, Agni was only a servant for a few hours, but from the stories he'd heard of him, he thought him to be a bit more confident. The prince shot the tray on the nightstand a look._

 _"_ _What's for breakfast?"_

 _The servant took a very long look at him. He didn't seem to realize that he was being talked to. Only when Soma raised an eyebrow, did he clear his throat and answered:_

 _"_ _Freshly made malpua." His voice was still barely more than a whisper._

 _"_ _Freshly made by our cook, I assume," mumbled Soma and held out his hand, so that Agni could reach him the plate. With a slight jolt, the servant did what was expected of him._

 _"_ _Freshly made by myself," he corrected, while Soma slowly bit into one of the pancakes._

 _When he heard those words, he stopped, glancing over to the white-haired man, who had his gaze fixed on the floor. "You made these?"_

 _Agni nodded. He obviously thought the prince was about to scold him. But that wasn't even close to what Soma had in mind. The prince rather thought of praising the man in front of him. Those were the best malpua he had ever tasted._

 _"_ _They are great."_

 _He heard how Agni gasped next to him. When he looked at him, the servant still hadn't lifted his head. "You know," the prince couldn't help a laugh, "That was a compliment. I tried to be nice. If you don't want to acknowledge that, that's fine with me."_

 _Now the man lifted his head. A faint smile tucked at his lips, while he bowed to the prince._

 _"_ _Thank you very much, my prince."_

 _Soma regarded him for a moment. He went on to eat his pancakes in silence. After he swallowed, Agni handed him the cup of chai he had prepared. Soma didn't really pay the tea any attention, but he still noticed the tasteful flavor and the nice smell._

 ** _He seems to be a good cook_** _, Soma thought to himself and smiled,_ _ **I should keep this in mind.**_

 _He gave the cup back to Agni and, still lost in thoughts, fought his way out of the blanket cocoon he encased himself in every night. The servant quickly rushed to his aid and helped him with removing the blankets, though the prince didn't really seem to notice._

 _"_ _Agni?" The servant perked up at the mention of his name._

 _"_ _Yes?"_

 _He fought a smile. "Please be quieter when you enter a room, but do speak up when being talked to, yes?"_

 _When he turned to look at his new servant, he looked a bit startled, until he finally answered:_

 _"_ _Jo ajna."_


	2. The first afternoon

"Ouch! Agni, you're not doing this right!"

"I am very sorry, my Prince Soma, I…"

The butler flinched when the comb became entangled in Soma's violet tresses. He even let out a quiet "ouch" in sympathy for the prince.

"Yes. **Ouch** , indeed." Soma, his eyes reflecting in the mirror, shot him a glare. Deciding it was enough, he held up his hand, asking Agni to stop, and then turned around to the older male. Said one was now facing the floor, his arms hanging at his sides motionlessly. He seemed rather embarrassed ( _again_ , if Soma may point that out), though the prince didn't know if this was about the fact that Agni had just accidentally pulled out two of his precious strands of hair or about the breakfast plates he had dropped this morning. Either way, Soma couldn't really fathom how he could work up such a remorse about trivial things like those. Granted, Soma did feel a bit sorry for his lost tresses, though he didn't find it to be a terrible disaster.

But that was exactly what Agni looked like right now. As if he had committed a terrible crime. As if he hadn't done countless in his previous life.

Soma frantically searched for a way to get his new-found butler out of his misery, when suddenly an idea crossed his mind.

"Agni?"

The butler didn't budge. Soma regarded him with a sense of pity, but mostly annoyance. How could someone once so confident go from hundred to zero in just a few hours?

"Agni!"

This time, he lifted his head. Soma sighed.

Well, it was a start.

Not, that he had expected much more.

"You are going to accompany me to the market today. It's Monday, that means there are going to be lemons today."

Oh Kali, he could not quite begin to imagine the emptiness behind those grey eyes. They did not seem to hold any form of emotion. He could probably have told the man in front of him that they were, in fact, going to just hang him, since he was such a useless pile of trash, and he wouldn't have cared.

Soma was betting on it.

"Come on. Finish up my hair so we can leave," he tried a gentler tone now. He had seen his eldest brother use this tone on his child, whenever it seemed hurt or distressed.

Handing the white-haired servant an elaborate hair clip, he turned back to facing the mirror. Slowly, and very, very carefully, Agni continued combing the younger man's hair. Finishing his task, he grabbed a few of the violet strands and brought them together to a high ponytail, which he clipped in place with the hair jewelry.

Once he was done, he stepped aside, to let the prince admire himself in the mirror. And Soma had to admit that he was happy with the outcome.

"Very well." He smiled. "Bring me my jewelry box and then we're going to leave."

The market was crowded with people. Soma obviously wasn't the only citizen that cared for the lemons. As he later explained to Agni, those were being grown in Bengal and a lot of people seemed to love them solely for that sake.

When Soma saw the long line in front of the stall, he thought about just using his title and make his way to the front, but then a different idea struck him.

"We'll go and buy the other things first. Then we can return here and buy the lemons later. That way we will save time."

What else could Agni have done than agree with his prince?

Obediently, he followed him through the crowded streets of Bengal, always keeping a polite space between them. Agni kept his gaze fixed on the ground, though he did look up whenever the prince spoke to him. He'd taken Soma's advice to heart and really tried to speak up when the prince asked him something. Though most times it were trivial things such as "For dinner, what do you think I should prefer? _Bhapa_ or _jhal_?".

Agni didn't think the prince really wanted him to answer. It was probably just an easier way of making decisions. So he didn't answer as in _give a reply_ but rather as in, giving the occasional nod and a few unneeded agreements.

The sun had already begun to set when Soma decided that he'd rather have a curry for dinner. Ridden with new enthusiasm, the duo made their way to a market stall that only sold the best of spices. Or so Soma said.

At this stall they weren't stopped by a long line. In fact, they seemed to be the only customers.

While Soma leaned over a few bowls that held coriander and cinnamon, Agni kept his usual space. (He had found four feet to be a comfortable distance.)

"Doing the shopping again, I see," the slightly plumpish salesman commented.

"Well, it makes for a nice trip," answered Soma and chuckled a bit at the spice jokes that followed the small talk.

The prince's servant had just decided to occupy himself with his thoughts, when the conversation was broken by a gasp, which was quickly followed by a scream.

Agni turned and froze. It had been a woman's scream. Not any woman's, no. He recognized this one. Her light brown hair was in her usual up-do, her lips tinted a peach-pink.

"But…how…?" The young woman seemed confused, and frankly, Agni couldn't blame her. "You're supposed to be _dead_!"

"Yes, well, I saved him."

Soma had placed himself next to his servant and had briefly forgotten his spices. While he looked the woman in front of him up and down, he was obviously trying to recall if he had ever seen her before. That didn't seem to be the case. And honestly, it would have surprised Agni a _lot_ if the prince had.

"But…my prince…how _could_ you…" Neela, as Agni recalled her name to be, seemed more than just surprised. Rather, she seemed to be _terrified._ Of _him_.

"As you just have clearly stated yourself, I am the prince and I may decide to save a person's life, if I view it to be the right choice," answered Soma. Obviously tired of the conversation, he turned back to the spices and took a handful of them.

"So, Agni, which ones do you think we should take?" he murmured, after he had given each of the spices his complete attention.

The woman didn't appear to just be accepting this dismissal. She still stood frozen, her hands clasped in front of her chest. Neela looked as if she had just seen a ghost.

And perhaps, Agni thought, she had.

"But how…? And why? How could you save such a _worthless_ life? This man, _Arshad_ , is a monster!"

It wasn't the first time that the Indian heard those words. But maybe it was the first time that they provoked something inside him. He was so lost in his thoughts, actually searching for any words that he jumped when the prince next to him turned and made a move towards the young woman.

"You see," there was no anger in his voice, only a strange sort of calmness, something similar to triumph, "The man standing in front of you isn't Arshad anymore. You may call him, however, by his new name. You may call him Agni, the butler of the beloved Prince Soma Asman Kadar."

Perhaps it was this day that Agni had decided to forever stay loyal to the young prince. Perhaps not. But it certainly had given him one of many reasons to stay by the prince's side.


	3. The first evening

When they reached the palace, Soma was still chattering happily about the beautiful daughter of the man who'd sold them the lemons. The meeting with Neela seemed long forgotten.

Agni was really grateful that the prince had defended him in front of the woman, though he didn't have to. He hadn't yet expressed his gratitude and felt awful. But the prince just would not stop chattering about the young girl ( _"Oh, and did you see her_ _ **hair**_ _? Wasn't it wonderful? Not as wonderful as mine, perhaps, but it still was a very fascinating shade of brown."_ ) and Agni knew that it was rude to interrupt him.

So he just kept listening and decided to make up for it with the curry Prince Soma had decided on for dinner.

After he had helped Soma with delivering the spices at the kitchen, Agni excused himself to go and help prepare dinner. But the prince held him back.

"I didn't hire you to _cook_. It's after sunset, you're supposed to help me with my bath!"

Agni was hoping he misheard. He was supposed to _bath him_? Of course, he had had countless servants helping him with his owns before, yes, but never had he imagined _giving_ somebody a bath. Besides, wasn't the one taking a bath usually _naked_?

"Are you quite all right?" Soma, who seemed to notice his servant's distress, asked. "You seem a bit out of it."

Agni didn't want to admit how much out of it he actually was.

"My prince, I really don't think I should. No, I…I think I _couldn't_."

At first, Soma seemed to have really no clue what the white-haired man was stuttering about. But then he realized, and almost started laughing.

"I'm not _that_ ugly, you know? Some people told me I'm a treat for the eyes, and am I not?"

If only that was what Agni was worried about. Truth was, that was the least concern he got. He had to admit that he found the prince rather handsome ( _What was he actually thinking about?_ ) but he couldn't fathom how that would make up for the fact that he'd see him _completely naked_.

"That's not what I meant," he quickly answered, "I simply do not think I could touch you, my prince. It would feel…wrong."

Though Soma still didn't really understand why, he didn't feel like arguing this point further. Instead, he assured Agni that it would be all right and that he didn't have to worry.

But then, standing inside the castle's bathroom, the bathtub had already been filled, Agni was the one who had to wait for the prince to enter.

Not, that Soma would ever admit it, but he was suddenly starting to get really shy. He had already grabbed a towel and had wrapped it around himself, but he still felt very uncomfortable. What would the other man think of…Wait a moment.

Why should he care what Agni thought about his body? Agni wasn't supposed to _portrait_ him, he'd simply give him a bath. Nothing that hadn't happened to him before.

"My prince?" he heard Agni call from the other side of the door. It did nothing to ease his worries.

Soma sighed and took a deep breath. He'd survive it. With a shaking hand, he made to open the door and entered the bathroom.

When his and Agni's gazes met, both men quickly looked away.

"My prince, are you sure that…"

"Yes, I am quite certain," Soma interrupted him.

Despite his voice sounding so confident, inside, the prince was a trembling mess. For once, he was grateful that Agni didn't lift his head. Taking a deep, shaking breath, Soma abandoned the towel around his hips and, as gracefully as possible, lowered himself into the bathtub.

Only when Agni heard the splashing of water, did he look up. Soma had closed his eyes and had leaned his head against the rim of the tub.

"Use the yellow soap," the prince ordered, before he let himself be immersed in the steaming bathwater.

Still a little uneasy with the task at hand, Agni did as he was ordered and reached for the yellow soap on the side table. Its smell immediately reminded him of the prince. A sweet mixture between pineapple and honey. It suited the prince's tanned skin, though Agni couldn't really fathom a reason to be thinking about _that_ right now.

He started off with cleaning Soma's torso, because he viewed it to be the safest spot. After a while, both their breathings seemed to slow, obviously both became a little more comfortable with the situation.

When Agni decided that he had spent an awful long amount of time on the prince's torso, he moved to shampooing his violet hair. And Soma, who only now seemed to realize _what_ his servant was avoiding, quickly murmured, "You _really_ don't have to do that."

Agni, too embarrassed to speak, only nodded his head.

And Soma, who wasn't as relaxed anymore and was now fidgeting with his hands, was glad that, standing behind him, the servant couldn't see his tinted cheeks. He'd reached the point where he was sure that this was the worst choice he had ever made.

"Agni."

The man stopped, but only for a moment, before he replied, "Yes, my prince?"

"We'll be fetching you some new clothes tomorrow. As the prince's servant, you can't go on looking like _that_."

Agni cast a quick glance at himself. It was true, he did not look anything like a prince's servant, but rather still a bit like an ill-fated outcast. He still wore nothing more than what he had worn when the prince had saved him just a mere day ago.

A light layer of dust and dirt still clung to his skin. There was nothing about him that screamed _Brahmin_ or _servant of a prince_. (Though it did express the servant part.)

"Are you fine with that?"

Smiling, Agni cupped his hands underwater and opened them above the prince's head, letting the water run down the already soaked, violet tresses.

"Did you hear me?"

Soma leant his elbows onto the tub's brim and turned around to look at Agni. Suddenly aware of how close they were to each other, he quickly turned back around and hid his face in between his bent knees.

Agni, not as embarrassed as he had been before, reached out for the soap and, brushing the prince's hair from his neck, put his hand onto Soma's shoulders.

"Yes, I did," he answered, still smiling.

"So?" Soma's voice was quiet, drowned out by the water.

Quietly, Agni dropped the soap back onto the side table.

" _Jo aagya._ "


	4. The second afternoon

Agni obediently followed his master through the crowded streets of Bengal. He still tried to maintain his distance of four feet, but he wasn't as keen on keeping it, as he had been just the day before.

The prince had simply wanted to take a stroll through his kingdom, announcing that the seamstress wasn't free until the afternoon, anyways. Of course, Agni had simply agreed to the prince's wish, because why shouldn't he?

Yesterday, it had been late at night, Agni had decided that he'd always fulfill the prince's orders, as long as it didn't put him in immediate danger. Because, so Agni had decided, that was the duty of a servant. Or rather, the duty of a khansama.

A normal servant probably wouldn't give their own life to save their master, and, after reviewing his former life, Agni could understand why they wouldn't. But to him, this was different. To him, Soma wasn't just an ordinary master or a simple prince. To him, Soma was a God. A celestial being, which had freed him from his former, wasted, life.

It was a situation that nobody but him could understand. At least Agni was rather sure, that a scene like this didn't just play out every day.

Soma entered the palace with a lightness to his step.

"The seamstress will be here in a few minutes, go clean yourself up a bit," Soma ordered.

Agni followed him with his gaze, before bowing and retreating to his room.

It was a plain and nearly unfurnished room in the servant quarters of the palace. There was nothing personal about it. Not, that there was anything Agni could have brought.

After Soma had freed him, they'd directly left for the palace, Agni hadn't even gotten the chance to say goodbye to his past life. Not, that he regretted it. His father probably didn't care about his son's whereabouts and Agni didn't care much about his father's either.

Orange curtains hung in front of a window, in front of which stood a simple bed. Agni hadn't even made it this morning, the blanket was still a mess from the sleepless night he'd had last night.

He may have been reborn, but that didn't save him from the nightmares of a past life. Somehow, being a different person, made it worse. Because now, he realized that there was nothing he could do to reverse these happenings.

Sighing, he filled the wash basin on the window sill and soaked a cloth in it. Maybe it was strange that Agni only now came to realize that he'd stopped caring about his appearance a lot of time ago. And even now, upon knowing that the prince had cut away his long, white hair, he only felt a slight interest in his looks.

Too afraid to move the mirror, which stood and faced the wall, he took a glance at his reflection in the wash basin.

Somehow, the man gazing back at him wasn't all that different from the man Agni remembered. He still had those tired, lifeless grey eyes, and when he lifted his hands, he looked at the same hands that had hurt and killed more people than could ever be made up for.

His hands beginning to shake, Agni put away the wet cloth and turned to leave, when his hand slipped and the basin shattered on the floor.

Sighing, Agni bent to pick up the broken pieces. Then, suddenly, he saw a face appear in the door frame. It wasn't his prince's face, as he'd first thought, but rather a female one. The young woman blushed when she noticed Agni was staring back at her.

"I am so sorry!" She seemed as if she wanted to bow, but quickly stopped herself. Instead, she made to enter, but stopped on the threshold. When Agni nodded, she went over to him and helped him pick up the shards.

Agni, finding he couldn't tear his gaze from the brown-haired girl in front of him, blushed, when she handed him the shards.

"I am Nitya," she answered to Agni's unspoken question, a faint smile on her lips.

When Agni made to answer, Nitya interrupted him.

"You're Agni. Yes, I know. In fact, I think the whole court knows by now. I would say you are a bit of a miracle. You see," Nitya pulled Agni to his feet, "I don't think Prince Soma has ever cared for another human being before."

"I don't think him saving me was a way of 'caring'," Agni answered, "I've never encountered the prince before."

He put the shattered pieces onto the window sill, bending to wipe away the spilled water.

"Mhm, yes. I suppose that's true." When the rag was soaked with water, Nitya handed him a new one. "But still, we servants would never have imagined him doing something like that. The only person the prince ever cared about was himself and Meena."

"Meena?" Agni asked, opening the window and laying the rags on the window sill, to let them dry.

"Yes, Meena. I don't really know what she is to the prince. I mean, she's his wet nurse, or was, well, but, looking at him, you could come to think that he's in love with her."

Agni raised an eyebrow. "But…she…She's a Shudra, yes? Why would the prince fall in love with a caste so beneath him?"

Nitya let loose a dreamy sigh. "Do not ask me. I am that kind of girl that still believes love conquers all. Oh, well. You should probably get going now. The prince is already waiting for you, together with the seamstress. Go meet them in the Lover's Parlor."

An hour and a few lost nerves later, the seamstress had tried various colors and several styles on Agni. Halfway through the session, Soma came to understand that he was the only one who cared about his servant's clothing. Therefore, he stopped asking for Agni's opinion and simply gave his own.

After they'd finally decided to settle with plain sherwanis, the only question remaining was the color they should go for. Soma, seemingly for the first time that day, was at a loss for words.

"Red?" he finally suggested and shot Agni a look. The servant, upon realizing that the prince was waiting for a response, gave a slight shake of his head. Soma huffed a breath, his lips turning into a pout. "Now, really, Agni. You're not making this any easier."

"I am sorry, my prince," Agni answered, while bowing deep, just to be scolded by the seamstress.

Said one finally lifted an orange fabric, brushing it against the butler's skin. "If you allow me, Prince Soma, I do think orange fits your khansama's skin quite perfectly."

When Soma leaned in closer, Agni couldn't stop the blush that crept into his cheeks. But, upon hearing his prince's next words, he nearly fainted:

"Yes, indeed," Soma smiled, looking up at his khansama, "It makes you look quite lovely, Agni."

Nightfall came and Soma lay sprawled out on his bed, a layer of sweat covering his naked torso. When Agni entered Soma's bedroom, after having cleaned up a different part of the prince's chambers, he tried hard to fight the approaching blush.

Soma sat up with a sigh, reaching for his vest, which he'd thrown to the floor, but freezing mid-action. Instead, he looked up at his servant, who stood in front of the prince's wardrobe, obviously waiting for an order.

"I don't understand why you chose to wear a pagri."

Unconsciously, Agni reached for the white turban he now wore. He didn't really know himself why he'd chosen to wear it. It had been a suggestion made by the seamstress and Agni had agreed.

"I think I felt a bit uncomfortable with only the short hair, my prince," he answered. Perhaps it was an unconscious reason he'd had.

Soma nodded. He didn't seem too surprised about it. "Yes. Well, to be honest, I do think I preferred the long hair on you. But that's in the past. Actually, I prohibit you from ever growing it out again."

Bouncing a bit on his mattress, Soma folded his arms behind his head, only to sprawl himself out again.

Agni, surprised, and, admittedly a bit shocked, stepped forward. "My prince?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you?" Agni asked, hoping that he didn't sound rude.

But Soma didn't seem to find it rude. He merely lifted a brow, thinking about his response.

"Ah, well. I think it'd let you resemble the man you were before and who you're not anymore. I mean, I don't exactly _prohibit_ you from doing it – that would just be cruel. I think you should merely take it as a suggestion."

"Then I will not."

Abruptly, Soma set up. "Excuse me?!"

Agni had already turned to leave, but upon hearing his prince's astonished and somewhat upset voice, he turned back around.

"Excuse me, but what did you just say?" Soma inquired, his voice still sounding upset.

"That, in fact, I will not do it then," Agni answered, "Growing my hair out, I mean."

The prince visibly slumped, his gaze fixing on the patterns of his blanket.

"Oh."

Agni, not quite understanding that the prince's reaction was caused by his answer, bowed, before stepping over the threshold.

"I will bring you a glass of water and help you retire, yes?"

Soma didn't look up. He barely forced himself to nod.

"Yes. Please do."


	5. The thirtieth night

Agni awoke with a scream.

His hands were drenched in blood, dark red liquid dripping onto the white sheets. He trembled, throwing aside his blanket and tumbling out of his bed.

Throwing on a sherwani, he fumbled with the doorknob and stormed out onto the corridor. Agni made his way through the palace, stopping when he reached one of the countless pavilions that lined the gardens.

Catching his breath, the servant leaned against a pillar. It was only then that he realized that _somebody_ was already there.

"Agni? Are you alright?"

He jumped. No, he wasn't alone. In fact, next to him sat the prince.

Soma wore a worried look. His hair was tangled, his body barely clothed.

"My prince? W-Why are you awake?"

"I couldn't sleep," Soma answered.

Indeed, he wore exactly what he'd worn when Agni had put him to bed. Only, that he looked more disheveled. He didn't answer, instead, he sat down next to the prince, running his hands through his short white hair.

"And you?" Soma asked. He didn't sound concerned, more than simply curious.

"I…I had a bad dream," Agni confessed. He had promised himself not to lie to his prince. Ever. Not under any circumstances and especially not for his own sake.

The silence stretched on. They only heard the quiet sounds of birds, who rustled the leaves in the trees and the light breeze that dominated this September night.

"I see." It was a simple sentence. Actually, because Soma didn't really know what he could say in return. "How bad?"

"I dreamed of a past life."

A simple nod was the only answer Soma gave. Turning to look at his khansama, he shot him a smile.

"You know, not that I'm curious, but Meena once told me that it helps to talk about those dreams, when you want to forget them."

Agni really didn't like Meena. There was something about the woman that made his flesh crawl and he really tried to avoid talking about her. But, somehow, what the prince just told him, made him feel a little at ease.

"Yes, you…you could be right, my prince," he admitted, "May I?"

"Would I have proposed this idea if not?"

Well, he was right.

So Agni just sighed, preparing himself for the judgment of his prince. But when he made to start his tale, he found that no words came to him. Instead, it felt like his voice broke and suddenly, tears started streaming down his cheeks.

He brought his hands up to cover his face, hastily wiping away the tears. But to no avail.

He jumped when he felt the prince's hand on his shoulder. Soma started rubbing gentle circles on the taller man's back.

"I mean, you don't have to tell me, if you fear that'll only make it worse. But remember, you said so yourself, those are only hauntings from a past life. Don't worry too much about it."

"But how could I ever forget?" Agni sobbed, shaking terribly. He sounded like he desperately searched for an answer. And Soma really believed that all his butler wanted was to find a way to redeem his actions.

Sighing, Soma took his hand off of Agni's back and instead cradled it in his lap.

"Well…I think you cannot really forget something like that. It can fade perhaps, but it will never actually leave you." Realizing that this didn't have the soothing effect he thought it would have, he quickly added, "But perhaps you can even it out? With good deeds?"

The silence stretched on, now filled with Agni's tears. The butler was still unashamedly sobbing and Soma was really starting to feel uncomfortable. He had no idea how to comfort somebody. Of course, Meena was always there for him when he himself was crying, but never had he comforted somebody else.

And he hadn't thought the first person he'd have to comfort would be his butler.

"My prince, I am so terribly sorry…"

Soma crooked a brow. "Sorry? For what?"

Agni didn't answer.

"You see," Soma finally said, after several further moments of silence, "You admire me, do you not?"

"Of course, my prince!"

Soma smiled. "Then how about you use this hands to do things in my name? Good things, I mean." Still smiling, he took Agni's right hand and placed a soft kiss on the back of it, before focusing his gaze on a peacock which crossed the courtyard. Suddenly, he felt how Agni clasped his hands in his. When turning to look at his khansama, he had tears in his eyes. Tears of joy.

"Yes, my prince. Yes, I will."

The silence grew on, until Soma, embarrassed, turned away. He couldn't help the shaking of his shoulders and the laughs that escaped him.

"What are you doing? Don't make it sound like I proposed to you!"

The next morning came, and even though Agni had never been so tired in his entire life, he got up on time and even was early enough to wake up the prince.

Soma was still snoring contentedly when Agni entered his chambers. So Agni made to prepare the wash basin for his prince. He set the basin onto the nightstand, before making to wake his master. "Prince Soma?"

As the purple-haired boy stirred, he opened the curtains, letting in blinding sunlight. This only led to Soma grabbing his blanket and pulling it above his head. "You're cruel, Agni. Real, real cruel," the prince muttered, obviously trying to fall back asleep.

Agni smiled a smile that held all the sympathy in the world for his prince. "I'm terribly sorry, but I'm afraid you need to get up now."

"But why-y-y-y," Soma whined, as his khansama pulled away the blanket, "I don't even know who'd want so see me at this early hour."

Agni couldn't help a quiet chuckle. "It's almost time for lunch."

Hesitantly, Soma sat up and rubbed his still sleep-puffy eyes. The butler couldn't help but think that his prince looked adorable. And as soon as the thought had crossed his mind, he couldn't help but chide himself for it.

"Well then," Soma finally said, out-stretching his hands to receive the glass of water that Agni handed him. He drank a big gulp, before setting it down on his nightstand. While his khansama made work of cleaning the prince's tanned skin of sweat, Soma eyed him. "Agni," he finally said and made the man jump.

Startled, the butler looked at his prince. "Yes?"

He found that his prince was smiling. He seemed content – happy, even. But there was something odd about this happy face. It was lifted brow that told Agni that something bothered the prince.

"What happened to your hand?"

This wasn't the question that Agni had expected. It caught him off-guard and actually made him look at his own hand. It was wrapped in a bandage, indeed looking like the butler had hurt himself.

But Agni only smiled. "I decided to use this hand only for my prince. I'll use it to redeem all my bad actions."

Soma still seemed skeptical. "Well, that's good, I guess," he said, while getting up and coming to stand in front of the khansama, so that he could help him undress, "But why the bandage? It makes it look…bad."

Agni did not have to think about this. He'd already spent the past night with those thoughts. "I'd like not to soil it."

Soma chuckled quietly. "Alright. You have it your way. But please don't forget your promise. This hand will only work for me."

To answer this, Agni bowed his head. "Surely."


End file.
